Manager, Events and Programs

Opening Statement

The City of Kingston is grateful to experience the traditional territories of Anishinabek (Ah-nish-nah-beg), Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-o-show-nee) and Huron-Wendat (huron-wen·dat). Kingston is a smart, livable city in the heart of eastern Ontario. Its stable and diversified economy includes global corporations, innovative start-ups and all levels of government.At the City of Kingston, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential elements of a thriving workplace. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that each individual brings to our team. As we continue to grow, we are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees feel welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work. The City of Kingston views diversity as its strength and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented communities.As staff, you play a pivotal role in enhancing people’s lives by delivering exceptional, customer-centered services of the highest quality. Within our highly ethical environment, you’ll embrace accountability by consistently going above and beyond, actively listening to our customers, creatively addressing their needs, and maintaining unwavering respect for all individuals you serve. As a result, you’ll become an integral part of our qualified and dynamic team, recognized for its compassion, excellence, integrity, inclusivity, and adaptability.

Position Summary

The Manager, Events and Programs, is responsible for managing strategies, events, and programs that engages artists, the arts and culture sector, and broader community, and facilitates partnerships across sectors to support cultural and community economic development. The position provides comprehensive oversight to the City’s Special Events portfolio, which includes both internal and external events, managing the City’s key feature events and the main public square as an inclusive events and activation space, as well as strategies and policies.

This position also oversees the City’s various arts programs and strategic initiatives including the City of Kingston Arts Fund, the Mayor’s Arts Awards, the Poet Laureate program, the Public Art program, arts exhibitions, and more, that help contribute to the overall cultural vitality of the local arts and culture sector. The position is also responsible for managing key community partnerships in relation to events and arts programs and working collaboratively to advance cultural economic development strategies and priorities including the Creative Industries Strategy and the Kingston Music Strategy.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Develops and implements detailed plans and recommends policies regarding program requirements, and develops, recommends, and administers the annual budget for events and programs:

Plans annual work program and budget; oversees and monitors expenditures and adjusts program to reflect achievement of revenue targets

Ensures that expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations and in compliance with policies

Pursues avenues for revenue generation (grants, sponsorship, fees) and implements them to achieve unit budget goals within City guidelines

Manages the Special Events Office, overseeing the delivery of City-led events and event support and facilitation for community events through permitting and event support processes:

Delivers series of feature events annually to create access and opportunities to cultural experiences

Leads the enhancement of First Capital Place that includes Springer Market Square, City Hall and Confederation Park in downtown Kingston as a cohesive and inclusive public space that provides a year-round program of City-and community-led events and activities

Align events with IIDEA priorities, and provide event support services to community-led events that recognize days of cultural significance and based on Council’s priorities

Manages special event permitting process for small, mid-size, large and mega special events across Kingston

Collaborates with various internal departments to ensure successful City-led and community-led event delivery

Improves event application, review and permitting processes for community groups that includes updates to policies, and supports integration of events into broader culture plans and city-building plans and strategic priorities

Manages the public art program on City-owned land and public art capital projects on publicly owned lands in partnership with other City divisions including budget development, artist and consultant selection and the commissioning process:

Manages the acquisition process for newly commissioned works of public art

Oversees implementation of the City’s public art strategy and manages its renewal as part of the new Culture Plan development and ensures that the City has it in place and follows fair and precise policies and guidelines for public art

Manages key community partnerships and programs that support City work and strategic priorities including:

The City’s arts funding program to the Kingston Arts Council, including monitoring and evaluation of impact and value-for money for the City, and the Mayor’s Arts Awards program;
the Kingston Music Strategy and partnership with Tourism Kingston and the Kingston Music Office, ensuring oversight of creative industries and economic development strategy
implementation; and the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area, in support of activation of downtown Kingston through events, installations, and programming

Sets and improves service delivery models and standards in accordance with departmental plans, corporate strategies and policies and professional standards and best practices:

Identifies and resolves obstacles to ensure the delivery of quality services that meet the standards and functional objectives established by the corporation

Identifies emerging trends as it relates to the position and integrates and implements these findings as part of departmental work plans

Builds and maintains effective internal and external relationships as needed to deliver the strategic and operational objectives of the Department and to ensure a level of service delivery that aligns with functional policies and practices:

Works to develop and maintain strategic relationships of mutual benefit with artists, arts organizations, community groups, partners, funders, the private sector and the public to advance the arts, sector development and cultural development overall

Supports learning among and between individuals, groups, organizations and agencies and provides mechanisms through which concerns can be expressed and ideas exchanged in ways that build capacity and contribute to the creation of a strong and vibrant community

Ensures the work of the Department acknowledges Kingston’s cultural diversity and that all programs, sites and services are inclusive in terms of subject matter, presentation styles and relevance for residents and visitors to the area

Ensures the work of the Events and Program teams with the broader goals and objectives of the Department and the City of Kingston

Participates in the work of the Department’s manage team and is results oriented

Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to build mutually beneficial working relationships

Other duties as assigned